Book reviews: February 2020
3 min read
Pick of the month
The Camping Cookbook
Sara Mutande & Andrea Lo Vetere
Beatnik Publishing
$25.00
Reviewed by Claire Smith
You don’t have to give up the pleasures of eating well while camping. Each recipe is specially adapted for camping and tramping.
The recipes are presented in easy-to-follow steps that will appeal to not only beginners but also advanced level cooks. All are designed for the practicalities of camping life, with weight, space and time limitations in mind.
However, they are also ideal for cooking at home. Who wouldn’t love a fresh and delicious pizza made quickly using only one pan? As well as being of direct interest to campers, it is a beautiful gift for any food or camping lover.
The book is divided into three main sections: equipment and supplies, home preparation, and recipes.
More good reads
Coastal
By Deborah Hide-Bayne
$39.99
Review by Lisa Potter
The shores of New Zealand have captured the imagination of many, and the author’s love of ocean and coastal gardens is inspiring. It’s not only the ultimate summer cookbook but is also peppered with projects from home building and keeping hens to skincare and printmaking.
The luscious images and lifestyle conveyed are sure to make you reconsider city living and indulge in the natural offerings of New Zealand’s coastline. Packed with seasonal recipes, Coastal also serves up a peek into the life of a family passionate and appreciative of their surroundings.
In The Clearing
By J.P Pomare
$34.99
Reviewed by Lisa Potter
A fascinating thriller that unfolds to reveal the intricacies of a young girl raised in a terrifying cult and an over-protective mother who fears for her son’s life after a local child goes missing in mysterious circumstances.
In The Clearing is the definitive page-turner, so set aside a block of time, as once you start reading you’ll be immersed in the absorbing revelations. Threaded through the chilling tale is a well-crafted reveal of the cunning ploys used to secure the loyalty of those in a cult life.
Celebrating 25 years of the New Zealand Warriors
Will Evans
Bateman Books
$49.99
Reviewed by Steve Atkinson
If following the New Zealand Warriors is your thing, then there is one thing you must do before departing this Earth, which is to buy this well-researched history of our beloved number one NZ-based rugby league team.
Consisting of almost 400 pages, the book follows the club and teams from inception in 1995 to 2019, with stories, statistics and more – all delivered in tidy easy-to-read bite-sized chunks. Totally entertaining and definitely worth the $49.99 investment.
Black 13
Adam Hamdy
Pan MacMillan
$34.99
Reviewed by Steve Atkinson
A few years ago, I had very little patience for those who wasted time reading formulaic tales of murder, mystery and intrigue. It appears however that times are a changing, and these days I can’t wait for the newest espionage thriller to land on my desk.
My latest read consisted of an admirable effort from new guy on the block Adam Hamdy, who sends his hero after a lawyer’s unknown client. Hopefully Scott Pearce can find them before the bad guys do, but the difficulty is finding out who is good and who is bad as confusion is high, along with the body count.
